A discerning dresswatch from Audemars Piguet. The’ Ref. 5281 is 36mm in diameter and houses an automatic movement with date function.

Quite a robust stainless steel housing, oversized and with a screw-down caseback. In the sixties, when this watch was created, this would probably considered more of a tool watch rather than a dresswatch. But given its very elegant design and sophisticated details, it falls in the category in between. The stain-brushed dial and faceted, applied hour markers play with the lighting in such a graceful manner. Also note the framed date aperture and the stepped case with slightly concealed crown. This distinguished dial and case design works best with thin and no-nonsense hour, minute and seconds hand.

Not just the outside is glamorous. Inside beats the automatic cal. 2072. This is based on a Jaeger-LeCoultre ebauche that was also utilized by the other 2 brands of the "holy trinity". The movement attests to what we concluded earlier on: sturdy but refined. It has a nicely finished rotor and also a shock absorption system. Not all vintage watches from this era could be used as a daily wearer, but this one certainly is up for the task!